Question about Beer yeast in cider

I Know that using a beer yeast to make cider give a lower alcohol content because it can't ferment all the sugars and in turn will make the cider sweeter which is what I want but will there be enough yeast to be able to bottle condition and carbonate

prince4118 said:

I Know that using a beer yeast to make cider give a lower alcohol content because it can't ferment all the sugars and in turn will make the cider sweeter which is what I want but will there be enough yeast to be able to bottle condition and carbonate

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There should be plenty of yeast. As an example, lots of folks use Nottingham and bottle condition.

I was just wondering seeing the yeast stops fermenting the sugars doesn't it die from the alcohol so how would adding sugar to bottle condition make it ferment any further

Unless you are fortifying your cider, ale yeast should ferment to dryness. Check your starting gravity but you will most likely end up with a 5-9% cider - no stronger than, say, a barley wine at best. Or even a IIPA - which the yeast can withstand.

Do keep an eye on nutrients however as apples are low in nitrogen. If you are doing an extended aging. Longer than - say - a Belgian Tripel, then bottling yeast is advised and just go with a good champagne yeast at the time.

You cannot "know" this, because it isn't true. The sugars in cider are all simple and easily metabolized by yeast (unlike the complex sugars in wort). All cultured yeasts, whether for ale, lager, wine, etc, will typically ferment apple juice to dryness, unless fermentation is managed in some way to stop it short.

Bottle-stable sweet cider is difficult enough; bottle-stable carbonated sweet cider is much more difficult. It can be done, but it's not easy.

prince4118 said:

I Know that using a beer yeast to make cider give a lower alcohol content because it can't ferment all the sugars and in turn will make the cider sweeter which is what I want but will there be enough yeast to be able to bottle condition and carbonate

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Albionwood said:

You cannot "know" this, because it isn't true. The sugars in cider are all simple and easily metabolized by yeast (unlike the complex sugars in wort). All cultured yeasts, whether for ale, lager, wine, etc, will typically ferment apple juice to dryness, unless fermentation is managed in some way to stop it short. Bottle-stable sweet cider is difficult enough; bottle-stable carbonated sweet cider is much more difficult. It can be done, but it's not easy.

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Dont some beer yeasts die off from the high alcohol content of the cider

prince4118 said:

Dont some beer yeasts die off from the high alcohol content of the cider

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Most beer yeast have a tolerance ocf 10-11% abv. Unless you add sugar to your cider, you will almost never reach that abv.

So you are saying if I make a cider with straight apple juice and add the usual amount if sugar at bottling time they will carb up fine?

And am I able to add a non fermentable sweetener to back sweeten it

prince4118 said:

So you are saying if I make a cider with straight apple juice and add the usual amount if sugar at bottling time they will carb up fine?

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Yes.

prince4118 said:

And am I able to add a non fermentable sweetener to back sweeten it

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Yes.

The yeast don't die off. Some do but they quadruple there colony. That's why you can harvest yeast.